Understanding what you stand for as a leader can make a big difference.

Both for you, and for your team.

Without a clear leadership vision, many managers and business owners hit these common roadblocks:

• Employee engagement drops
• Getting people excited becomes a struggle
• You have a less fun at work
• And days become less fulfilling

Conversely, if you get clarity on your vision as a leader, great things can be unlocked:

• You can act with consistency
• You can lead with passion
• Your employees are more likely to get on-board
• Your team has more momentum to achieve common goals
• And maybe most satisfying, you can be yourself!

So, how should leaders determine what they stand for?

Find the answers within.

Rather than searching for leadership buzzwords and trends, seek the answers that are already within you—the qualities and values that are inherent to who you are.

As a unique individual, you make a unique and special leader.

As Glenn Llopis explains in a recent Forbes article, “We are all living during a time when people want and expect their leaders to be more human, less perfect and at times a bit vulnerable – regardless of hierarchy or rank.”

In other words, employees are looking for leaders who are themselves, leaders who are real.

Discovering your leadership values

To narrow down what you values and vision as a leader, take the next 3-5 minutes to ask yourself the following questions. You can write or type your responses.

Now, you may be thinking, “I’m too busy, I don’t have time for this…”

But hold on: this exercise might be the most valuable piece of work you do all week.

By the end, you’ll have a deeper understanding of who you are as a leader and what unique aspects you offer your team.

3 questions to define your leadership values and vision:

1. Why are you a leader in your organisation? (i.e. How did you get to where you are today? What do you enjoy about being a leader?)
2. What is your overall message or vision for your team?
3. What results do you hope for by the time you leave your position?

Now, let’s take a review.

Have a look at your answers.

Did you learn something about yourself? Did you see anything that shed light on why you do what you do?

Because why you do something is incredibly important

Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Action, famously states, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”

Above all, when you love what you do and act as yourself, people feel connected. People are inspired by people who are excited about their work—especially when they act genuinely.

Not only that, when you are living out your true values and vision, your own work engagement increases, and with that, your performance.

Any questions?

If you have questions on this topic or any others, feel free to reach me by email or set up a free one-on-one consultation session, or drop me a comment below.

Thanks for sharing!